Review: THE START OF ME AND YOU by Emery Lord

Title: The Start of Me and You
Author: Emery Lord
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: an ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamicsThe Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live? 

I gobbled this up in November last year when I was home for the weekend and to semi-binge on this was a very smart decision for me. There are a lot of things going for this book (besides the fact that Emery Lord, one of the great contemporary queens in my mind, wrote it and that Bloomsbury has a stamp of approval on it), making it be on your spring break (or just spring, if you're out of school) to-do list. 

1. It deals with the tough subject of death and grief, but in a different way. As a contemporary lover, I've read my fair share of "issue" or tragedy books. But this one felt different and I think it's mostly because of who died and what Paige is actually dealing with in the book. Her short-term boyfriend died in an accident. Note: I said short-term. They hadn't been dating for four years, they weren't engaged, they didn't have this enormous history together. They had been dating for a few months. I'm not lessening their affection because I certainly know people can get close during that time (heck, I know people who married after two months or less). While she was struggling with the fact that he died and the grief that comes with it, this book isn't necessarily about his death and her grief. It's about her regaining her life after two years and pushing away the title that her community gave her. She's the Girl Who's Boyfriend Died. She didn't have much of a life after he died and now two years later, she wants to "start living again" and be open for new love and new experiences (hopefully with her old crush). To me, this was refreshing.

2. It's not really a love triangle. I was afraid that we would go into love triangle territory after seeing that her old crush is Ryan, but the end of the synopsis makes Max out to be the future boyfriend. While I won't give anything away, you don't have anything to worry about.

I couldn't resist.

3. It involved a Quiz Bowl! Fun fact, if you didn't read the interview I had with Emery Lord, is that I was actually a part of a quiz team. Ours wasn't the stereotypical quiz bowl where it deals with different categories, but Paige's experience very closely represented mine. The nervousness, the anticipating of answering a question after buzzing in, everything; it all mirrored my past experience, which I enjoyed.

4. All the fun cuteness and great things I love in contemporaries. She makes a list (I love lists), her family is whole and supportive, her friends are also very supportive, Max is adorable, and the narrative is entertaining. Emery Lord brings the charm and engaging narrative to this story, but that's no surprise after reading Open Road Summer. 

5. Paige was on a journey and at the risk of sounding cheesy, I was on it with her. I have never had to deal with what Paige had to deal with. I've had loved ones die, but never a significant other. I've never been labeled because of someone's death. I've never had to essentially rebuild myself after two years. But I experienced that through Paige (and Lord's writing). And it was fun. It was entertaining and made me forget about everything else that was going on around me. For me, that's a major goal in reading. 

So do I recommend this? 

To read my interview with Emery Lord, click here.

DNFs: Disconnected with contemporary

I've always been a huge fan with contemporaries and can find success relatively easy in this genre. But the big downfall for any book I may read and DNF is disconnection with the book and/or the characters. For review or not, reading is supposed to be enjoyable so sometimes you just have to cut the cord on a current book and move on.

Title: Let's Get Lost
Author: Adi Alsaid
Publication date: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost. 

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most. 

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love. 

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

For months now, I've gone back and forth with this one, deciding on if I should try to go back to this. I finally looked at Goodreads and realized that my problems with this aren't going to go away.

If only Hudson could be cut out of this and most of my issues would be resolved. I didn't like him, didn't connect, and was annoyed by his narrative. He was very woe is me, but my main no-no was the fact that insta-love is involved. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't do insta-love. I don't like love triangles, but insta-love is way worse. I knew something felt weird about the Hudson/Leila thing (I refuse to call it romance) besides the insta-love, but wasn't sure what. Then I read other reviews and realized it was MDPG (Manic Pixie Dream Girl), which sounds awful. 

I actually liked what I read of Bree's narrative, but boredom and frustration already settled in and I knew I couldn't continue if I had to keep reading about the wonderful Leila and read Hudson's narrative. I really looked forward to this one so it's disappointing that it ended so quickly and badly.

Title: Cut Me Free
Author: J. R. Johansson
Publication date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can’t rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won’t let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.

That’s when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment--without a trace of entry. And they’re addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn’t just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead. 

Like Let's Get Lost, the "romance" in this fell flat. It felt forced and uncomfortable throughout the narrative. The story was interesting at first and I cared for Charlotte. But suddenly, and not too far in, the connection stopped. I couldn't understand why Cam was pursuing Charlotte, who hired him to make her disappear. Being distant, closed-off, and a stranger is attractive and a signal to pursue? The story and the romance fell flat for me, with any intrigue falling away. Charlotte wasn't dislikable, per se, but if I had liked or connected with her more, I feel like I could've stuck with this. 

Instead, another DNF appeared. Life is short. We have to seize the day with our reading. 

Why do you usually DNF? 

Review: DON'T TOUCH by Rachel M. Wilson

Title: Don't Touch
Author: Rachel M. Wilson
Publication date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen

A powerful story of a girl who is afraid to touch another person’s skin, until the boy auditioning for Hamlet opposite her Ophelia gives her a reason to overcome her fears.

Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Touch another person’s skin, and Dad’s gone for good.

Caddie can’t stop thinking that if she keeps from touching another person’s skin, her parents might get back together... which is why she wears full-length gloves to school and covers every inch of her skin.

It seems harmless at first, but Caddie’s obsession soon threatens her ambitions as an actress. She desperately wants to play Ophelia in her school’s production of Hamlet. But that would mean touching Peter, who’s auditioning for the title role—and kissing him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.

Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson, this debut novel from Rachel M. Wilson is a moving story of a talented girl who's fighting an increasingly severe anxiety disorder, and the friends and family who stand by her.

I read this book in one evening. If I didn't take a break to shower, it would have been in one sitting, which I basically never do (I hate sitting for long periods). But Don't Touch isn't just captivating because of the issues of an anxiety-stricken girl it tells. No, it's so much more. I've tried my hand at "issue" books, specifically OCD-related problem books. However, Wilson's writing and realistic portrayal blew me away. 

I had low expectations. I read Corey Ann Haydu's OCD Love Story, which turned out to be a big bust for me, making me a little fearful of reading a similar book. At the same time, it gave me a little hope that maybe someone else would produce a book that dealt with similar issues, but in a different way. I'm not here to bash Haydu's book, because at the time I actually admired it a bit, but it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Wilson, on the other hand, left my jaw open in awe and my brain scrambling for things to say to adequately describe my feelings. So you could definitely say that Don't Touch soared above my expectations. 

It'd be easy to think that Caddie's disorder or ways to keep it going are farfetched. I almost fell into that trap until I really dove into the story. The book is long and I sighed a little when I realized how much I read and we hadn't even gotten to her being in the play. But it's worth it. You get to see Caddie seeing her old friend Mandy for the first time in a while. You get to feel her and her brother's struggles of having their parents separated and dealing with a flaky father. It was really great to see Caddie meet Peter for the first time. And to watch Caddie simulate herself into Mandy's group of friends, even if it included pushy Oscar (who actually ends up being pretty decent later). It sounds so cliché, but when you read this, you will honestly be on the emotional journey with Caddie. 

I gained a better understanding in disorders and I think that's the most important thing. I always knew that they really can't help it when they're in the midst of it, but when they seek help, they can conquer it. But I never fully got it and this showed me how it works through Caddie's eyes. Like I said, I felt myself leaning towards the thoughts of it being farfetched in a couple places, but I went with the story. I tried to understand and tried to feel. For me, it worked. And really, unfortunately, I couldn't explain it well enough to do it justice. You'd have to read it. Because only by reading it would you feel Caddie's panic, pain, and emotional turmoil. By reading it, you'd invest your feelings into the characters and their relationships and progress. 

Which is another thing: relationships. Man, oh man, did I like Peter. Like many YA fictional couples, I don't think it'd actually happen in real life. I think IRL guys would definitely not put that much effort or time into a girl and potential relationship. A girl can hope and that's what was great to read this: it was great to imagine. Peter is a gentleman. He's extremely and the most patient, gentle, and sweet. His introduction to the story, the lively exchange between him and Mandy then the unnerving exchange between him and Caddie, was perfect. I felt like I was actually there, watching it all play out. Peter is there being a friend for Caddie and potential boyfriend through the story. Always putting himself out there, but not trying too hard so he doesn't scare her. The scene at the party was another instance where I could picture their interaction vividly (claps for Wilson). 

I became a little disgruntled at the kinda unresolved ending, but I understood that, really, in a way, it was resolved. Lives aren't always happy and not everything will be perfect. So while I like my happy endings (and don't worry, there is one), I fully appreciate that Wilson didn't tie up the book with a neat, little bow. 

Since I'm already praising Wilson, I'll go a little further and say that the author's note was one of the best author's notes I've ever read and a great addition. Not only did it give the story even more depth by adding her personal story, but it was personal all-around with her sincere advice and encouragement. I only hoped that the right people would read Don't Touch, stick around for the author's note, and find the answers they desperately need. 

I have so many words I'd like to say and feelings to express, but it's late (I actually mixed things up and am writing this review the same night as reading/finishing the book, which is HUGE) and my brain can't handle the thoughts and emotions any more. I'll probably go to sleep thinking about it though.

Verdict: A story everyone should read. 

Review: RITES OF PASSAGE by Joy N. Hensley

Title: Rites of Passage
Author: Joy N. Hensley
Publication date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

I've read a lot of amazing books this year and it's only September oh my gosh it's already September, WHERE DID MY YEAR GO?. I can't possibly pick favorites, but I can confidently say that Rites of Passage would definitely be one of them. This book gave me that satisfying, slightly remorseful feeling of binging until super late at night, only getting a few hours of sleep. 

And Sheldon accurately describes my attitude during reading. My eyes may have gone a little droopy, but my insides were going crazy. I wanted answers. I wanted my conclusion. But I loved reading it so much that I had a conflict inside. Just a few reasons why this blew me away is below. 

1. The characters connected with me so easily it was ridiculous. I felt like I had known Sam forever, like a beloved character, right when I started reading. Some people may say that she did have a similar voice as other characters (like that's a negative thing), but I completely enjoyed it. It was comfortable. And in a way, it was refreshing. It was like meeting tons of new people constantly, getting to know them, trying to decide if you liked them. It's exhausting. So when you run into someone familiar and you already have your judgement in place, it's relieving. Please don't tell me I'm the only one with this problem. Sam gave me a great breather.

But then the other characters were easy to connect to as well. I loved Drill from the start as well, knowing he was special. I was reluctant about the other girls, but I could easily tell who the trustworthy guys were in the story.

2. The conflict twisted my insides. I felt things for Sam. She was stubborn, determined, smart, and just all-around tough. The sexism of the school outraged me and so I sympathized with her. But then it came time to fully meet the antagonists. I don't think I ever felt my insides twist so much for a contemporary. We were supposed to feel disgusted and the author definitely succeeded in that feeling. Sam was put through abuse, plain torture, and unthinkable sexism. Leaders purposefully planned to harm her and if I was her, I'd be terrified out of my mind. Conflict sounds so tiny compared to what I and Sam felt through the story, but the "conflict" was truly well-done.

3. The romance didn't consume the story, but it was still great to read about. Hensley definitely knew what she was doing. I've read many (and I mean many) stories where they have promising synopses and then suddenly we have the displeasure of them being consumed by unwanted romances. Having a romance is in no way a bad thing. I'm strong pro-romance. But if there are bigger issues at play (or could be at play) then I don't want to feel like I'm in a sappy, contemporary love story. It's disappointing. So with Rites of Passage, I loved the moments with Drill and Sam, but those moments didn't make up the book. There was a time where I felt like it bordered the line, but most of the time, they kept it in check. And while they had great chemistry, they also had a valuable respect, friendship, and work ethic together as well. Now that's refreshing.

I loved the story so much that I hate to even mention negatives to be honest. Of course, I still will. My main problem was the fact that the problems were solved a little too quickly. It wasn't as bad as others I've read, that's for sure. It just stumbled a little into the trap I see a lot of contemporaries fall into: having a rushed, magical solution. I also groaned at the fact that it felt too open-ended. From what I know, it doesn't seem as if there's a sequel in works. The ending of the first book feels like it though. While I would LOVE a sequel, I don't think that'll happen (at least anytime soon), so points are taken off for the open-ending...of sorts.

I want another.

Verdict: An all-around enjoyable contemporary that YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE NOW.

Review: FALLING INTO PLACE by Amy Zhang

I meant to do a Rewind and Review this week, but life happened (yet again) and I'm so overdue on my ARC reviews. Thanks, Harper!

Title: Falling Into Place

Author: Amy Zhang

Publication date: September 9, 2014

Publisher: Greenwillow (HarperCollins)

Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road. 

Why? Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? Vividly told by an unexpected and surprising narrator, this heartbreaking and nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.

Before getting into the actual story, I want to draw attention to that cover art. Isn't that FANTASTIC? The dead-end road going into the curved title and eventually the red car, and perfectly placed hand. The red lettering up top to match the car, "there are no accidents." But most importantly, the physic equations. The death is centered around the physics lesson Liz learned earlier. She applied school to her real life and calculate her suicide (do NOT do this at home, kids). But the little scripts all over have me captivated. I just really want to find the cover artist and shake their hand. 

Now, the story. It's told in a third person narrative, the voice trying to stay relative, but objective at the same time. It's a tricky maneuver in my opinion and can be hard to not disconnect with the reader. However, it works. It worked for me at least. I was thoroughly captivated by the story and the flow of events. Some things may be uncomfortable and not my usual read, but it didn't deter me. If anything, it left me wide-eyed and willing to follow. 

I realized I experienced something different than other bloggers and I hope that I find people who felt the same way that I did. The readers of this book seem to be in two groups: the ones who felt and the ones who felt nothing. And the people who felt nothing really hated feeling nothing, understandably. But for me, I didn't have the feels and I still, for the most part, was fine with not having a great connection with the characters. I'm usually very character-driven in my reading and since this was more focused on the characters, their lives, and choices, it'd be VERY easy to hate it because of the disconnect. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised I didn't. I didn't really feel for the characters. There was no agony inside of me. I think this book impressed me as much as it did not only for its writing, depth, and somewhat of a non-plot (it didn't have much of a plot, but it's story pattern still interested me), but also for how it still strung me along despite the circumstances. I despised a character sometimes, but unlike Tease by Amanda Maciel, I still followed along. It wasn't exactly a enjoyable story (attempted suicide does that), but I can't stress enough that I still liked a heavy-character story with no connection to the characters. 

Verdict: A love-it-or-hate-it kind of book that I actually liked...and yes, desperately want the cover. 

Review: ROOMIES by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Title: Roomies
Authors: Sara Zarr, Tara Altebrando
Publication date: December 24, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

I thought it was fitting to read this since I was transitioning to college myself only a couple days after I finished. To me, this was actually realistic. While Elizabeth, called EB throughout, is from the East Coast, she's moving to California for college. I thought this unlikely considering her familial situation until she mentioned all the loans she's taking out. Because if I can barely go to college IN state, then how could she go to college OUT of state? When authors casually have their characters go out of state, making it seem like all the tuition is the same, it makes me grumble about the story.  Thankfully, that didn't really happen here. 

On the other hand, we have Lauren, the first born out of many who is trying to have enough money to go to the same college just a little bit away and in the same state. I felt THAT was really realistic. I didn't have this SUPER connection with either of them, but homesickness-wise, I knew where Lauren was coming from. I think I even liked her more than EB, but both had their positives. 

The romance is where I cross the line from one roomie to the other. Lauren's romantic prospect outweighed EB's WAY more. Way, way more. Lauren actually knew her guy before, they had a realistic rough patch, and I could see the connection between the two. For EB, that wasn't the case. It felt too much like insta-love for me. I kept going back and forth between whether or not EB should've even had a love interest because it seemed useless. But I can see the authors wanting to portray a different side, kind of like a summer fling. Their feelings for each other felt too rushed though. 

Because I just moved to college, I liked how the authors made the whole transition for each of the girls relatable. It's stressful. Emotions are running high. Conflicts arise. Fears heighten. Everything just seems a little too MUCH at once. Lauren is dealing with insecurity, change, and homesickness before she even leaves home. EB is dealing with leaving everything behind, her family, and unmet expectations. They have problems with each other. They have problems with people around them. THAT'S NORMAL. For me, I felt like I became snappier through the transition because of stress and the newness of it all. When I had a rooommate glitch, I just finished the book, which meant I had gone through EB and Lauren's glitches. I can't say how much that actually helped me, to have read someone else's problem's, even though they were fictional.

I might have problems here and there with the story, but overall, it was just what I needed.

Verdict: Realistic, fun story of two future roommates before school starts. 

To promote the book way back when it was first published, they had people tell their roommate stories. What was your roommate story? 

Thank you, Morgan Matson

Way back when, I read Second Chance Summer and it was my second cancer book and second contemporary book that made me get emotional. It's one of those books that I remember fondly, but think that I won't read again because I already have so much emotion in my life right now, it can't possibly be healthy to have extra.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was my second book by Morgan Matson that I read and it was...good. It didn't wow me or make me go all squealing fangirl. It was cute. I had problems with it, but it wasn't bad by any means.

Then there was Since You've Been Gone and IF Morgan Matson needed redeeming, this book did it. I'll always look back and remember SYBG as the book of summer 2014 for me. I've told people multiple times to read it because it's the ultimate summer book. And I'll say it again. Do it. You won't regret it. Because it made me not only enthralled, but also challenged, in a way.

The book is centered on Emily whose best friend Sloane has disappeared. She doesn't know where or if she's ever coming back and since her whole world was wrapped around ONE best friend, she has to cope with that empty slot in her life. Unlike other books where something happens to a friendship between two people, where one is more dependent on the other, this didn't feel obsessive. It probably wasn't the healthiest thing, but Emily definitely saw more improvement quicker than others. She makes new friends. She grows. Most importantly, Sloane even helps her adjust by leaving her with a summer bucket list.

I love bucket lists. I love lists. I love adventure. These three things shape Emily's journey through the book. And this is where I give my biggest thank you to Morgan Matson. It encouraged me to accomplish things in MY summer, the summer where I had to be less dependent on my own surroundings. I wasn't losing a best friend (well, not really), but I was losing 18 years of familiarity since I was leaving for school in August.

I made time to hangout with people more.

This might sound so silly to others, but me actually making plans with people takes a lot. I usually wait for others to say something and a lot of times this summer, that's what happened. But I also initiated. And I bonded with people I cared about, something I won't ever regret. 

I traveled.

As ya'll know, I went to Nicaragua. That place transformed me and I spent a week of my life pouring love out into others. I tried new things on that trip and became more flexible than I ever was before. 

I skydived.

Yesterday I did something that's always been on my bucket list: SKYDIVING. I turned 18 two weeks ago and knew that I wanted to give a birthday gift to myself. The jump was incredible. I did get sick once the parachute opened, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything else. 

I said goodbye.

Through the whole book, Emily was trying to figure out where Sloane went. But I personally believe that by crossing off each item her best friend gave her, Emily was also saying goodbye. I haven't left yet (I leave tomorrow night and will be saying most of my goodbyes by the time this is posted today), but I have said goodbye to friends already. And those lovely Nicaraguans. I hate goodbyes, but you know what? It's healthy. 

And while the main point of this is to say how much Morgan Matson impacted me with her latest book, a big part of why I loved SYBG was that cliche saying of "being in love with love." I loved loving this book. I loved the summery feel. While I've had past issues with Sarah Dessen books for making me grumble that it was NOT real life and it ruins reality, I didn't feel the same way with SYBG. I wished my summers were like that, sure, but it also pushed me to achieve it too. I won't ever go skinny dipping (I promise, Mom, I have no desire), but I think it's exciting to try other new things. Mostly, it's actually a lot of fun to watch (in this case, read) about others doing new things. Sometimes it's great to live vicariously through others (I'm looking at you BEA attendees). And sometimes you need an author to challenge you to take a hold of your summer. 

So thank you, Morgan Matson. 

Review: LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publication date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Source: a hardcover provided by the publisher for an honest review

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

It's official, folks. Rainbow Rowell is amazing. If you don't remember, I fangirled over her Fangirl. While I still haven't read Eleanor & Park, I was lucky enough to receive this beautiful finished copy from the publisher. Boy, I'm grateful. 

I used to read mostly all adult books (because I didn't know how great YA could be), but ever since blogging, I've barely read any adult novels. If I have, I'm sure it's been only rereads. Landline made me want to go scour for uncovered treasures again. Because this rocked. 

After doing another fingerling session over Rowell, the main question now is how did it rock? 

1. Georgie. She is a completely flawed human being. She's a workaholic, has a reputation of siding with her coworker (and male and ONLY best friend) over her poor husband, and just makes poor choices. She's not portrayed as a young, perfectly put together writer and middle aged mother. She "lost" herself and as a result, her hair isn't too great and she's put on weight. Yet, while she's way older and in a completely different situation than I am, she's absolutely relatable. I had to remind myself that she was older (but in a good way, it wasn't like Rowell sounded too young). There was sympathy and I felt like we became friends, just like I did with Cath from Fangirl.
2. Neal. I knew it. All fictional Neals are good. Exhibit A: Neal from Once Upon a Time. Exhibit B: Rowell's Neal. He may have a barrier around him (at least in flashbacks, oh glorious flashbacks), but he's adorable. I wanted to marry him. He's a geeky artist-turned-father. He's frustrated with Georgie and especially with Seth, but he's supportive.
3. Flashbacks. Remember those flashbacks I talked about? Well, along with the time machine phone, we're also treated to Georgie's flashbacks. To me, they were crucial to the story. They helped us understand everyone's backgrounds and the evolving feelings, assisting in where our sympathies lie. 
4. MAGICAL PHONE. I'm a sucker for time machine books. They're not always good, but I give props to an author for making a somewhat-trope into their own plot. Yes, I may screamed at Georgie once or twice to do a sensible thing she wasn't thinking about, but I enjoyed her journey in discovering it, using it, and deciding what to do. 
5. Rainbow Rowell. I can't help it, I'm a total fangirl of her writing. She's one of the best third person narrative writers, in my opinion. 

I think Rowell's books are one of those love 'em or hate 'em books. Not everyone will be crazy for them, but she can definitely create a cult following. She manages to give the main characters—Georgie, Neal, and Seth—such LIFE, but still create so much personality for the supporting characters—like her sister and mother. 

Verdict: St. Martin's Press and Rainbow Rowell need all the celebratory food NOW.

Review: ON THE FENCE by Kasie West

Title: On the Fence
Author: Kasie West
Publication date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

A lot of authors try to be The Great One in fun, YA contemporaries. There are so many superb authors out there. I have my favorites, but I have come to a solid conclusion. Kasie West succeeds. When it comes to summery books, she's your woman. 

Others try. 

While this wouldn't be my favorite West novel, it still doesn't disappoint. The main character Charlie is  the only girl in her family of brothers and single father. She's sporty, one of the guys, and her connection as a narrator doesn't waver for me. Their lifelong friend and neighbor has felt like one of the brothers, but as to be expected, Charlie's and Braden's perspectives of each other changes as situations unfold. 

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for these kind of stories. The next-door neighbor romance, the tomboy, the girl with lots of brothers; it instantly appeals to me. These stories also have predictability, but when they're fun and written by Kasie West, it's completely fine with me. Call me bias, I don't care. 

Charlie starts becoming interested in hot Evan, a cardboard cutout character, after her new job and discovery of makeup. I see it in the way of Evan solely being in the story to move things along. His presence pushes Braden's feelings to come to play, to get Charlie a new outlook, and to push Charlie to feel okay with putting effort into her looks. He's basically a stepping stone in Charlie's life and while he didn't impress me as a character, he was necessary to the story. 

I wish we knew more about Charlie's brothers. For the longest time, I couldn't remember who was who, except for possibly Gage. I would've liked to see their personalities come through a little more. The only thing we truly know is that they're incredibly sporty, include and love Charlie, and are protective. Here's the gray area: some bloggers have ranted about how sexist the brothers are. While I can see why they think that, as a girl who has a protective big brother and father, I see it as love. I'm all about WOMAN POWER! and not treating women as if they're naive, weak, or unequal. But they were being brothers. In my opinion and from what I can remember, I thought they were being sweet. Maybe if they had come across stronger to me I would have felt differently. But I saw it as innocent.

Just like with The Distance Between Us, I loved the interaction with the two lovebirds. I still believe that the greatest relationships are friend-based and that's what Charlie and Braden have.

"I already told you to stop reading me."
"I can read you because I know you better."

"In your dreams."

"Yes, you've been there, too."

It wasn't as if the whole book was perfect, there were annoyances and I nitpicked certain areas. I still wasn't disappointed though. It was fun. Summery. Cute. Romantic. Stable. Another Kasie West novel. 

Verdict: I only hate that I don't have another Kasie West book to binge immediately afterwards.

Quotes and other elements may change after publication.

ReaLITy Check: Growing Up

Books are our friends, right? WRONG. Friends don't lie, at least they shouldn't lie. Therefore, books cannot be our friends. Rewind to the beginning of my senior year, or even before that, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Fiction is fiction for a reason and I know that authors try to stick to realism, but need to spice things up. It's especially hard in contemporary because it's our world. Well, in late high school, I realized that everything I thought I knew about graduation was false, thanks to YA contemporary.

Do you know how many YA contemporary books are set in public high school? A lot. Do you know how many of those are set in senior year, usually the spring before they graduate? A lot more. Do you know how many of those realistically portrayed what senior year is supposed to be like? A whole lot less. Real life is no fun and usually boring so I get wanting to spice things up, but is it really necessary to traumatically disappoint me? 

I took the ACTs earlier than most, but still continued to take it throughout my senior year to boost my  score (I did well the earlier times, but a certain scholarship I needed required a high score that I kept missing by a point or less). There've been books that have talked about the SATs and others that have talked about scholarships. A lot of times, there has been mention of stress about picking a college and deciding what to do or how to get there or coping with growing up. But I NEVER read a book that accurately described the stress and the confusing, mundane tasks to actually reach college. 

The super long list I was never informed I had to do to reach college includes...

• Paying to just apply for college 
• Writing AT LEAST a 500 word essay (one I looked at had TWO!) along with other repetitive questions
• Actually deciding on which college, which requires lots of research and worrying
• Making sure the college you want knows you're accepting
• Signing up for housing (required, along with a meal plan for my college)
• Worrying about your roommate
• Waiting forever to hear about your room assignment
• Signing up for orientation
• Completing FAFSA
• Sending in your immunization forms...several times
• Repeatedly sending in your transcripts
• Applying for lots of scholarships
• Waiting to see if you're accepted for those scholarships, and having panic attacks when you're not and having dance parties when you are 
• Worry more about money, repeat this 10x
• Go to orientation and be severely bored
• Sign up for classes
• Wait

These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head and they don't even include junior year. Or deciding on which major you want. The problem with YA contemporary fiction is that it's way more fun than real life. I'm not saying that I don't want that, but it's cruel to realize you don't live in the same world. I constantly read about these people "worrying" (yeah, sure, whatever. Your stress is MINUSCULE compared to mine) about colleges, but they end up going to an out of state university. Those bad boys are about $20,000 more expensive! If you're a normal kid, where are you getting all this money from? What about the transportation home? What about your ACT/SAT scores? I've read a story where the girl was obsessed with memorizing vocabulary, but what about the other aspects? What about all the mundane details? Aren't you going to at least mention them? 

The growing up process is extremely different in fiction than it is in reality, as should be expected. But being a book lover makes it complicated. You want to connect with the character and have her feel the same way as you, but it's hard when your stress level is sky high and hers barely reaches the fence level. 

So fiction has given me another unrealistic expectation to grumble about because life is way harder than the (contemporary) main characters' growing up problems. Unless you live in Panem, I don't believe your complaints. Too bad you have [this problem] to deal with, but yay for you, you magically get accepted into the school of your choice far away even though you never studied. 

What's your complaint with YA contemporary, especially with school settings? Did you find your expectations for growing up completely delusional? 

Review: SUMMER OF YESTERDAY by Gaby Triana

Title: Summer of Yesterday
Author: Gaby Triana
Publication date: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Back to the Future meets Fast Times at Ridgemont High when Haley’s summer vacation takes a turn for the retro in this totally rad romantic fantasy.

Summer officially sucks. Thanks to a stupid seizure she had a few months earlier, Haley’s stuck going on vacation with her dad and his new family to Disney’s Fort Wilderness instead of enjoying the last session of summer camp back home with her friends. Fort Wilderness holds lots of childhood memories for her father, but surely nothing for Haley. But then a new seizure triggers something she’s never before experienced—time travel—and she ends up in River Country, the campground’s long-abandoned water park, during its heyday.

The year? 1982.

And there—with its amusing fashion, “oldies” music, and primitive technology—she runs into familiar faces: teenage Dad and Mom before they’d even met. Somehow, Haley must find her way back to the twenty-first century before her present-day parents anguish over her disappearance, a difficult feat now that she’s met Jason, one of the park’s summer residents and employees, who takes the strangely dressed stowaway under his wing.

Seizures aside, Haley’s used to controlling her life, and she has no idea how to deal with this dilemma. How can she be falling for a boy whose future she can’t share?

So. Much. Potential. 

Actually, its potential wasn't fully wasted because I liked this book for the most part. I stayed up reading it until way after midnight and thought about it for an extra 30 minutes or so. So where did it go wrong? 

Well, first, I'll tell you where it was right. Gaby Triana's writing style and voice connected with me. Again, I had a problem nearing the end, but in all, Haley's narration sucked me in. She made quips and didn't bore me. I felt like I could picture the setting, both in the past and future. I knew from the beginning that I'd pick up another Triana book right away because her writing captivated me in a fun way. 

Another plus was the first half of the plot, which kept me reading. I was interested to see the past and meet Haley's teenage parents and explore the surprise with her. I loved reading about how Haley was trying to deal with it all and I begged for more. 

Unfortunately, that's where it ends. It might not seem like it, but those plusses weighed a lot in my mind so I don't consider this a bad book, perse. I just expected something different. 

The plot for me

THE PLOT. Oh, what great things it could have done. In the synopsis, it introduces cute Jason, a boy Haley meets in her parents' era. In the beginning of the book, it introduces the idea that Haley feels out of place with her dad and his stepfamily and whatnot. So when I kept reading, I figured there would be romance, but that Haley would actually resolve familial issues along the way...or AT LEAST at the end. Unless I misunderstood, I thought that if the author implies trouble in an area and busts open a door for a conflict for the MC to overcome and satisfyingly resolve, the MC would, you know, do so. Instead, We saw her parents a couple of times (not even a handful, I think), focusing on this unbreakable, meant-to-be mumbo jumbo love between Haley and Jason, the boy who is her PARENTS' age. 

Let's get this straight real quick. Jason and Haley meet and she's in his era for a grand total of, I think, three days. In that already limited time, they're only together for about 50-75% of that because she's napping or on the run or he's at work. So they might share some "deep" information, but I personally believe it's still superficial in the grand scheme of things. Then Haley considers STAYING with Jason and this is where I'd like to remind you all once again that he is the same age as her parents. Same. Age. Yes, she only knows him as a teenager, but it's just...wrong. Her wanting to grow up with her parents is wrong. It's all wrong. 

It continues to be wrong when THINGS happen at the end. Things that I can't talk about because it's spoilery. Basically, it made me very, very peeved. One of the non-spoilery things at the end that made me angry was the fact that familial issues were not resolved. I think the author made an attempt for resolution, but I wasn't fooled. More superficial things happened, but none of Haley's complaints and problems were actually addressed. Do you know what that makes me? Dissatisfied. 

Verdict: Some people may love the direction it took, but I would have liked it a whole lot more if it was less romance and more family and exploration.